Report Criticizes Smithsonian On Hispanic Focus and Hiring

By STEVEN A. HOLMES,

Published: May 11, 1994

Correction Appended

WASHINGTON, May 10—
The Smithsonian Institution, perhaps the world's most famous museum complex and the operator of some of Washington's most popular tourist attractions, has done poorly in hiring and promoting Hispanic people and has virtually ignored Hispanic contributions to American art, culture and science, a group appointed by the institution said today.

A report issued by the 15-member task force found that the institution "displays a pattern of willful neglect toward the estimated 25 million Latinos in the United States."

These were some of the failings cited by the task force:

* Hispanic employees make up less than 1 per cent of the Smithsonian's top management, and only 2 of the institution's 145 museum curators are Hispanic.

* Until recently, when one Hispanic member was named to the institution's Board of Regents, no Hispanic person had ever served on the Smithsonian's governing body.

* There is no museum dedicated to Hispanic art or culture, and permanent exhibits that focus on Latin America need to be updated. 'Distorted View'

"The institution almost entirely excludes and ignores Latinos in nearly every aspect of its operations," the report said. "This is glaringly obvious."

Raoul Yzaguirre, president of the National Council of La Raza, a national Hispanic lobbying organization, was the chairman of the task force. He said the lack of interest in Hispanic issues by the country's best-known museum complex meant that Americans "get a warped, distorted view of America."

The Smithsonian Institution was chartered by Congress in 1846 from an endowment left by James Smithson, an Englishman. It includes 16 different museums, 6 research complexes and the National Zoo. About 75 per cent of its $458 million annual budget comes directly from tax dollars.

The task force was appointed in April 1993 by Robert McC. Adams, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and Constance Berry Newman, its Under Secretary. Neither of them disputed the findings of the group, which studied five areas of activity by the Smithsonian Institution and its museums: governance, personnel policies, collections, programs and budget allocations.

The task force's mandate did not extend to looking at the policies and practices of a number of entities that are part of the Smithsonian, like "Smithsonian Magazine."

The report notes that while Hispanic people are 9 per cent of the United States population and were the first Europeans to settle in the Western Hemisphere, the Smithsonian has no museum or permanent exhibition that highlights Hispanic-American art, culture or history. Other Cultures Highlighted

By contrast, numerous exhibits in the institution's various museums highlight the history and accomplishments of non-Hispanic whites. The institution also operates the Sackler and the Freer galleries, which emphasize Asian art and a National Museum of African Art.

The Regents also have plans to build a National Museum of the American Indian on the Mall in Washington and have asked Congress for authorization to build a National African-American Museum.

The task force recommended a stepped-up affirmative action program to recruit and promote Hispanic employees at the Smithsonian, a reallocation of resources from existing programs to ones emphasizing Hispanic history and culture, and the creation of an Office of the Assistant Secretary for Special and Multicultural Initiatives.

Mr. Adams has already announced his retirement as the Smithsonian's top official and the report's authors say they hope that his successor, who has yet to be chosen, will act on its recommendations.

Officials of some Hispanic organizations say there is a general feeling that the new secretary should be given a year to begin to implement some of the report's proposals before asking Hispanic members of Congress to get involved.

Correction: May 16, 1994, Monday An article on Wednesday about criticism of the Smithsonian Institution's record of hiring and promoting Hispanic staff members misspelled the given name of the president of the National Council of La Raza. He is Raul Yzaguirre.